#jong-hyun

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Thank u shinee

#101

Our tastes and likes are a funny thing. Growing up, we’re easily teached that all things fit in boxes: some things are for boys and others for girls, some things are to be liked at a young age and others are for a more mature person, between other stereotypical ideas. In my opinion, the real meaning of growing up is to out grow those teachings. As time passes we go through our life, we grow and evolve, everyone of us sees, hears, touches, does and feels different things. Each one of us has different timings in life and that’s ok. That’s why our tastes and likes are so diversified and that’s an amazing thing - how boring would life be if we all liked the same stuff at the same time. It’s also amazing to find those who do love the same things we love at the same time we do, it’s a great feeling of understanding and belonging. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to love (something or someone). I believe things come to us when we need then. And they never actually leave. I once read the expression “old like” (I think) here on tumblr - like something you used to like a lot and be super dedicated to but haven’t thought of in a long time - it’s not like you stoped liking it, your life just kept going and now you have other stuff as your main focus, but that old like is still part of you. I think that’s beautiful.

With all that said, I want to write a little bit about my relationship with k-pop, SHINee and, specially today, about Jong-hyun.

10 years ago, back in 8th grade, I was introduced to anime by my now very dear bestfriend - I owe a lot of my passions to her and how we shared them helped me a lot through some hard times in life, it still does, so, thank you girl. It was my first glimpse (and then great love) of asian culture. A few years later, in highschool, exactly because of our interest in anime and asian culture we were introduced and became friends with a girl that was crazy and intensely passionate about Korea and k-pop - she was always talking about it with such intensity, it used to scare me a little bit. Nowadays she lives and studies medicine in Seoul, I’m proud to say she’s one of my heroes and a great inspiration. At the time, because of her, I saw some k-pop MVs, I don’t remember the songs or the artists in particular but I remember Bigbang and Girls Generation were pretty popular back then. But for me it didn’t click. I was amazed with their dance moves but the music wasn’t really my style at the time and so I didn’t give it much thought. I honestly felt k-pop and k-music in general would never be of my interest because I’ve always been super connected to the music in itself (melody and lyrics) and I felt k-pop put it in second plan, and also because it was in korean and I don’t understand a thing. 

But, as it is said, never say never. 

Through this year I started to see glimpses of k-pop come to light in the media I use, mainly from american sources. It was BTS. I became specially aware of them after their UN speech. I had a curious reaction: even though after ckecking their music I didn’t become a fan, I was really happy to see them being sucessful and bringing k-pop to the table in this side of the world, and opening doors to many other artists, not only from Korea.

Little did I know that a few months after I would became extremily invested in the k-drama scene and interested in the korean culture in particular. I had been interested in k-dramas before but didn’t have enough time to actually go for it, but now, since I’m between adventures (aka jobs and traveling) and finally have some extra time, I did. After a few dramas, once again, my bestfriend pointed me in the Hwarang direction - it was the first one she watched and she has a gigantic crush on Park Hyung-sik - she indicated it to me after learning I have a gigantic crush on Park Seo-joon. It was while watching promotion videos for Hwarang on youtube that Minho caugh my eye and google let me know he was on a band: SHINee. So, a while after, when “Countless” by SHINee was on my youtube suggestions I check it out - and that’s when it clicked. 

I really liked “Countless”, the music is fresh and captivating, the video has great colours and a sweet aesthetic and the guys have distinctive voices. The fashionista in me also loved their style. I watched “Good Evening” - which has a fantastic art concept - and while enjoying the music it also made me want to see more of their dance. From there I didn’t stop. I went to my bff, since she has been into k-pop for a long time, and she mentioned “Sherlock”, “Juliette” and, of course, the classic “Ring Ding Dong”. I also checked “Replay”, “View”, “Your number”, “Tell me what to do”, “Everybody”, “1 of 1″, ... It’s amazing the different styles and rythmes on their 10 years old career. I became a fan!

Even if some of their older songs don’t really go with my current taste, I like them. They kind of make me feel like a teenager again and, in a way, I’ve missed it. I’ve been missing feeling like eveything is possible, like I can dream without caring to be realistic. SHINee made me feel free, I think that’s the best way to put it.

While trying to learn more about them and watching their MVs, I noticed someone was missing from the first videos I had watched, the most recent ones. SHINee is a 5 members band. That’s when I learned about Jong-hyun: the guy with the soft and startling voice committed suicide last year. He was an incredible artist and musician, super professional and dedicated, he wrote many (I think all) of his solo songs and some for SHINee (which isn’t very common in korean musical industry), among other artists. And from what I got to see he was also an incredible human being, with a warm and dorky smile, a great sense of empathy and always supportive and caring. I feel bad for only finding their music and loving it now, for only learning about his talent now that he is gone. But it brings me solace to know I am one more person to know about Jong-hyun and to not let him be forgotten. 

This click I had after listening to SHINee made me curious about other korean music and so I’m having a great time all around spotify and youtube listening to different playlists. I’ve found that there’s more to k-music than just the popular k-pop - it has been an interesting and enrinching experience. 

So, to SHINee and specially to Jong-hyun, for helping me into this new world, 

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